Carolina Faux Pas: Cal Cunningham Panders to Carolina BBQ Lovers….While Gas Grilling Hot Dogs?

RALEIGH – That’s embarrassing.

Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate says there’s nothing better than BBQ. His campaign is even selling aprons that read, ‘Ambassador for North Carolina BBQ.’ in a push to present their candidate as authentic Carolina Cal.

Notice anything…off in this picture? REAL fans of Carolina BBQ sure did.

In hocking campaign Carolina BBQ aprons, Cal Cunningham commits a major BBQ faux paux by sharing a picture of presenting himself as….grilling….hot dogs…with gas.

It’s a fail of the highest order in the Old North State, and the Carolina BBQ faithful let him know it.

You might as well be cooking a pot of fettuccine and calling it bbq.

— ButGorsuch! (@Ignorem62281500) September 29, 2020

BBQ, especially in NC, is a noun that means whole hog pulled or chopped pork cooked low and slow over wood. You sir, are grilling.

Take this down!

— HungryLobbyist.com (@HungryLobbyist) September 29, 2020

That’s Yankee talk there, BBQ is a noun not a verb. This is what NC BBQ looks like: pic.twitter.com/8gB1Y0yslL

— Christopher (@Christopher977) September 29, 2020

Yankee here. We reject him & whatever abomination he was cooking on that gas grill as well.

— John Sisino (@smarmyEOD) September 29, 2020

Bruh. I’m running against you in 2026 if you win in 2020, solely because of this post. You just called grilled hot dogs and hamburgers “barbecue”– in NORTH CAROLINA. pic.twitter.com/he9QobRl70

— CHD (@ItsMe_CHD) September 29, 2020

You sir, are grilling hot dogs and hamburgers.

You are not slow cooking a whole hog over wood, which is, in fact, what BBQ is. Especially in NC, where you are running for a US Senate seat.

Are you okay? What possessed you to tweet this?!

— Brian M. Johnson MPA (@BrianJohnsonMPA) September 29, 2020

When someone is from NC and doesn’t know the difference in BBQing and flat out grilling. pic.twitter.com/GaH2Avu5ko

— Stacy Phillips (@HopeisLOUD) September 29, 2020

That’s a grill though buddy

— defund and replace cops (@qkslvrwolf) September 29, 2020

“Hey my name’s Cal, I love BBQ because NC. Here’s a pic of me in front a grill. Aren’t I so relatable? pic.twitter.com/zSm8KU5vwe

— Carter Nies (@crnies) September 29, 2020

You are grilling Cal….there are no words for this…..is that Brioche…Do you own a football bat?

— Michael Hileman (@mshileman) September 29, 2020

The indignant responses to this blunder go on and on and one. Even enthusiastic supporters of Cunningham are shaking their heads. For the love of BBQ, the GRILL does not even appear to be on!

Now, politicians pander, on both sides — that’s no surprise to anybody — but if you’re going to do it, the campaign should, at the very least, make sure you’re doing it correctly.

How embarrassing.